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Making Sense of Your Worth
Making Sense of Your Worth (MSOYW) is a step-by-step program that can benefit anybody, but it is especially helpful to parents (foster, adoptive, or biological) who want to heal from their past and engage in connected parenting strategies in their homes. Whether we...
Birthday Thanks
On August 4th, Village to Village (VTV) turned 11 years old. It is hard to believe that what started out as a crazy idea in my (Matt) head has turned into what we are doing today. As I have reflected on the history of VTV over the past few weeks, I cannot help but...
$500,000!!!!
After a months-long process, we are excited to announce that St Joseph County has awarded Village to Village a grant of $500,000 for Oasis Community. Yes, you read that right, $500,000! Here are the details of this grant: 1. We get half of the grant immediately. I...
A Story Close to Home
I (Matt) have met with a lot of people about what we are doing through Oasis Community. The question I always get asked is, "Why are you doing this?" The following story is the best answer to this question. “I’m now 21, and I’m still scared. I’m still trying to learn...
Oasis Update
*We need to raise $15,000 to cover our architectural fees. Click here to make a donation of any amount.* --------------------- DID YOU KNOW THAT 25% OF AGED-OUT FOSTER YOUTH HAVE PTSD? A rate higher than our combat vets. You've likely heard about Indiana's foster...
Time-Ins Vs Time-Outs
Perhaps the reason teens isolate themselves when they’re overwhelmed instead of coming to us for help with their problems is because when they’re toddlers we isolate them when they’re overwhelmed instead of helping them with their problems. -L.R. KnostThe...
Devote Yourself To New Tools — Step #3
This isn't a decision to make lightly.If we are serious about pursuing connected parenting for the sake of our kids, we have to be prepared to work hard. As we have seen in Steps #1 and #2, everything about this approach is difficult, but nothing good comes...
What Am I Saying With My Eyes?
Let's focus on more than simply changed behavior.As a parent, I need to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and tools that I use with my kiddos. It's not enough to just see changed behavior, I also need my child to be growing in relationship...
Letting Go of Punishment (Step #2)
This is step #2 in our three-part series laying the foundation for becoming a “connected parent.” Click here for step #1 (Facing Your Past), and step #3 (Trust-Based Tools).Punishment ≠ DisciplineUntil becoming foster parents, we understood punishment and...
Saying Yes
Think about how often we tell our kids no. Before I realized that saying, "Yes" was a parenting tool, my default answer to my kids was usually, no. Why was my answer always no, probably because it was just easier to say no.Watch this video about saying "Yes" to our...